Prioritising anticancer drugs for environmental monitoring and risk assessment purposes

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2014-03, Vol.473-474, p.159-170
• Main Authors: Booker, Victoria, Halsall, Crispin, Llewellyn, Neville, Johnson, Andrew, Williams, Richard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - analysis; Antineoplastic Agents - classification; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollutants - classification; Fate; Pharmaceuticals; Risk Assessment; Surface water; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Waste Water - chemistry; Waste Water - statistics & numerical data; Wastewater; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - classification
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.11.145

Anticancer drugs routinely used in chemotherapy enter wastewater through the excretion of the non-metabolised drug following administration to patients. This study considers the consumption and subsequent behaviour and occurrence of these chemicals in aquatic systems, with the aim of prioritising a selection of these drugs which are likely to persist in the environment and hence be considered for environmental screening programmes. Accurate consumption data were compiled from a hospital survey in NW England and combined with urinary excretion rates derived from clinical studies. Physical–chemical property data were compiled along with likely chemical fate and persistence during and after wastewater treatment. A shortlist of 15 chemicals (from 65) was prioritised based on their consumption, persistency and likelihood of occurrence in surface waters and supported by observational studies where possible. The ecological impact of these ‘prioritised’ chemicals is uncertain as the measured concentrations in surface waters generally fall below standard toxicity thresholds. Nonetheless, this prioritised sub-list should prove useful for developing environmental screening programmes. [Display omitted] •We surveyed regional hospitals to get accurate consumption data for anticancer drugs.•Drugs were systematically ranked based on consumption, behaviour and fate.•A shortlist of 18 drugs is likely to be of environmental concern.•12 anticancer drugs can ‘breakthrough’ to receiving waters.•6 anticancer drugs partition appreciably to sewage sludge and may persist.